Leaving Loved Ones Behind
by Fox Mcloud SNR
Summary: Tigress suddenly leaves in the middle of the night.


**Leaving Loved Ones Behind**

**Dedicated to zeaeevee**

"Why did you have to leave?" asked the Dragon Warrior to himself. Po was sitting by the Sacred Peach Tree staring out into the horizon.

"Was it something I said? Or did?" Po sighed hurtfully.

Po stood up "I just don't know!" he yelled, his yell echoed over the cliff and into the valley below almost as if he was accusing the valley itself for his current pain. He sat back down and went back over the events leading up to this.

His memories formed and flowed like a river in his mind, he let himself get lost in them in the hopes of desperately finding an answer.

_Po was woken up by his door being loudly opened._

_"Hey wuz goin on" he slurred, Po yelped when Shifu suddenly grabbed Po's paw and threw him onto the ground roughly. Shifu got so close to Po that The Dragon Warrior could almost feel the anger emminating off of him._

_"Where is she panda?" Shifu growled, Po panicked "I-I don't know what you mean...who?". Shifu threw a note at Po's face, he caught it and looked at it._

_All that was written on the note was one word "Goodbye". Po looked up from the note at Master Shifu, he noticed the rest of the five were standing in his doorway. Judging by their haggard look and worried expressions they had also been woken in the same manner._

_"Who wrote this?" although Po already knew the answer, it was the only person not present...Tigress._

_Shifu saw the worried look in Po's eye when he realized who was missing, it convinced Shifu that Po honestly had nothing to do with it. "Po when was the last time you saw her?" he asked softly._

_Po stood up and thought "Yesterday after dinner, to be honest she's been acting kinda funny recently". Shifu looked at him suspiciously "How do you mean?"._

_"Well she's been having mood swings" he said, Mantis interjected "Y'mean more so then usual because she's always like that"._

_Shifu threw him a dirty look, he gestured for Po to continue while keeping his glare on Mantis. "She's also been acting distant as well, I wanted to give her space so I didn't ask her about it"._

_Shifu nodded "When did this start Po?", Po suddenly became very nervous and stuterry. "W-well it started about a week after we...__became one__" he murmured quietly._

_"What was that? I didn't catch the last part of your sentence", Po was freaking out. How was he supposed to tell Shifu about it, he and Tigress agreed that they would both announce it together but she had given him the task by leaving._

_"W-when we y'know Shifu... __it__" Po twiddled his fingers while desperately trying to avoid his masters cold gaze._

_Shifu raised an eyebrow "Did what?"._

_" .God!" shouted Mantis, everyone looked to Mantis who started to laugh hysterically._

_Shifu hobbled over to him "Would you care to explain what's so funny Master Mantis?" he asked politely._

_Mantis caught his breath and looked at Po who was clearly uncomfortable with Mantis figuring it out._

_"Po has 'become one' with Tigress" he qired quotation marks with his...'thingies' when he said become one._

_The five gasped and looked at Po with their mouths open. Po wasn't bothered with their reaction however, he was more concerned by the way Shifu was looking at him with his eye twitching like he had just snapped inside._

_He started to walk over to Po menacingly, Po started to back away with his waving hands in front of him rambling poor excuses towards Shifu. He walked into the frame of his bed._

_"Did you do anything which may have caused her to leave?" asked Shifu coldly._

_Po frowned "No! Of course not I care about Tigress, how could you think I would ever do that?" The others all watched with shock while Po stood up to Shifu. The thought that he might have done something to hurt Tigress upset Po which is why he had reacted so poorly to Shifu's accusation._

_Shifu sighed and backed away from Po, "I know you wouldn't Po I'm just worried"._

_Po relaxed "So you're not mad?"._

_Shifu scowled at him "I'm angry at you and Tigress for not being honest with me, but my worry outweighs my anger"._

_"Wait what's that?" Said Monkey while pointing by Po's foot, Po glanced down and saw another small peice of paper, this one was different however. Po picked it up and read the message on the envelope_

_"Po, for your eyes only" it said on it. He looked towards the others "Shall I read it? It is addressed to me"._

_Shifu nodded and Po began to read out loud._

_Dear Po. I need to be honest and clear. I'm leaving the Valley of Peace. I don't know how long I'm going to be gone for but before I go I need you to know something. I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I'm sorry to let you down. If you lose your love for me, please keep the heart I feel in love with warm. Love, now and always, Tigress._

_Dabs of moisture fell onto the letter, Po looked up from the letter to see Shifu looking at him with sympathy. "I'm sorry Po" he said simply. _

_Shifu left the room and gestured to the five for them to follow him and give Po some privacy. Viper went to comfort him but decided against it. The other just looked sadly at him then left._

_Po clutched the letter close to his heart and wept._

It had been two days since then and Po hadn't eaten or slept, he just couldn't believe that someone who claimed to love him could just abandon him as easily as she had done.

Po punched the ground angrily then left to go back to the palace.

Another two weeks past and Po wasn't even close to moving on. He tortured himself through training in the hopes of burying or masking his pain but it was never enough, his thoughts always drifted back to his love and the agony with which she had burdened him with.

Shifu and the others had tried many times to get him to open up but he had ignored them and continued to train or meditate.

xxxxx

_9 Months and Two weeks later_

It had been another long day, Po took large strides up towards the barracks without saying anything to anyone. He was followed by some very tired and sore kung fu masters.

"Man he really let us have it today didn't he?" Monkey complained while rubbing his arm, there would definitely be a bruise there.

"No kidding" agreed Mantis. Viper and Crane were silent, it had been exactly ten months since Tigress had left them and they guessed Po must know that too.

After his student had commenced their training Shifu had gone to meditate like he usually did, he had a bit more of a bounce in his step then usual which confused the five. Had he forgotten what had happened this day ten months ago?

They got into the barracks and Po just left to go into his room to mope, he did this often so the other masters had taken it upon their selves to prepare dinner by their self...granted it didn't always go so well which is why Po refused to eat it but as least they tried.

xxxxx

Po quietly closed the door behind him and sat down slowly on his bed, he sighed and pulled a box out from under his bed, it was just a plain red box with nothing significant about it.

He held it close to him and went to sleep. He could feel the onset of his nightmare for a little while but then a calm came over him and for once his dreams were free from nightmares of loneliness and despair_. _He slept soundly.

xxxxx

Even though Po had woken up he wouldn't get out of bed or even open his eyes, he was just too content for words. He sighed happily and went to scratch his stomach but stopped when he felt a soft arm wrapped around his chest. He frowned and felt around a bit more.

He gasped when he realized it wasn't his own arm, he opened his eyes and saw that the arm was orange and black. _"No! That arm could only belong to..."_.

He turned around and saw that Tigress was sleeping next to him, he didn't make a sound, she was still asleep and he couldn't believe it. _"She's back! No...no it can't be I'm dreaming or..or I've gone insane from loneliness"._

Then Po noticed something _"W-wait is...is that her scent? Yes yes it is!" _Po held his breath, he didn't want this to end his true love had come back to him. He didn't care why, he didn't care how he just didn't want to spoil it.

He saw her begin to stir, she opened her eyes and saw that Po was staring straight at her. "Hello Po" she said simply. He sharply got up out of the bed and looked at her accusingly.

Tigress braced herself for his anger, "You think you can leave and break my heart then just show up and expect nothing to have changed!" he yelled.

Tigress removed herself from the bed and walked over to Po to embrace him, he pushed her away and looked at her desperately "What did I do to you? Why did you leave me?".

Tigress's breath caught in her throat, she attempted to hug him again but this time he didn't try to fight back he just let it happen. They both sank to the floor and never wanted to let go.

"I'm sorry Po but there's a reason I left and I want to show you it" she said while stroking his cheek tenderly.

He nodded simply and followed her out of his room, he glanced at the other masters room and saw that they were empty.

_"Where have they gone?" _Po thought, everything was just happening too fast for him.

She lead him all the way to the Palace, she opened the door and showed him what laid inside. Shifu and the others were all standing around a small wooden cradle. The five whipped around and smiled when they saw Tigress they wanted to rush her but Shifu had instructed them to let Po see the contents of the box without interruption.

Po looked at Tigress who nodded encouragingly. He gulped and walked over slowly.

When he got close he looked inside and gasped at the sight. Inside was a baby tiger with brilliant jade eyes, it was the spitting image of a young Tigress. Po's heart was crushed _"I...I can't believe it...she...she had a cub with someone...someone else" _Po felt tears at the edge of his eyes.

The others thought they were tears of happiness but they couldn't be more wrong. Po had never felt so cheated or speechless.

Tigress walked over to him and put her paw lovingly on his shoulder, "What do you think Po?" She was nervous about his reaction.

Po pushed her paw off of his shoulder and walked away glumly, Tigress's heart broke _"I don't understand? Is this not what he wanted?". _

"Po wait!" she yelled, Tigress hurried after him but he whirled around and gave her the coldest look she had ever seen. "I never want to see you again" he said simply, a cold knife pierced it's way through Tigress's heart.

The others all gasped but did nothing...what could they do?

Po walked out of the hall and Tigress fell to her knees in shock, Shifu rushed over to her and picked her back up.

"Tigress we will look after your child, you should go and talk to Po" Shifu said, he didn't really know how to feel honestly. On the one hand he was glad that Tigress was finally back but on the other hand he was disappointed for leaving them all behind and for breaking Po's heart.

Tigress nodded wordlessly and rushed off to stop Po.

Shifu and the others looked towards the baby who had started to cry silently. Shifu brushed away the tears "There there" he said soothingly "Everything is going to be fine".

xxxxx

She found him on the steps walking down into the Valley, _"He must be trying to find some bandits or criminals to hurt" _she thought sadly. Po's posture was slumped in defeat, Tigress had never seen him look so upset.

"Tigress. Don't" he warned, his voice was cold, and it cut through her again like a knife. She knew Po would be heartbroken but she never expected him to act so...out of character.

"Po...let me explain please" Tigress pleaded.

Po clenched his fist which began to shake with anger "How dare you expect me to listen to you!" He shouted, "You abandon me in the middle of the night, go and have a child with somebody else and then have the audacity to come back after nearly a year to rub it in my face that you never loved m-".

A streak of orange and black cut him off, there was a loud smack and the force from the strike sent Po straight to the ground.

He got straight back up ready to fight back, he stopped when he saw the look on Tigress's face. She wasn't crying but the fear and pain in her brilliant amber eyes told a million stories.

That one look said it all; the look that had the power to stop the Great Dragon Warrior in his tracks. An impressive feat considering all he had been through.

"Po" Tigress said softly, "Please let me explain". Despite his anger Po stayed, _"Damn it! She knows just how to get me to listen to her"_ he thought irritably.

_The night before_

_Tigress crept into Po's room and left a letter underneath his pillow, she glanced at his sleeping form and frowned. "No, I can't turn back now this is for both our sakes" she thought sorrowfully. She knew that by doing this there was the possibility of forever losing Po but Tigress needed to do this...at least that was how she justified it in her head._

_Tigress walked over to him and kissed him on his cheek, a teardrop fell on the spot where her lips had made contact. Tigress gasped and touched her face with a paw, "No I can't get emotional...I just need to go"._

_Before leaving she took one more look at Po, she sighed and left hurriedly._

_The next morning Po was woken by his door being loudly opened..._

_Two days before Po finds her in his bed._

_Tigress stood on the hill and held the bundle close to her chest instinctively. She had been walking for about nine hours now and was nearly back home._

_It was nightfall when she arrived in the Valley of Peace. She was wearing a cloak and drew the hood over her face so as to conceal her identity for the time being, she slowly made her way up to the palace, she had picked this time specifically because she knew every but Shifu would be asleep._

_She reached the top of the stairs and made her way over to the entrance to the palace, she put her child on her right arm and pushed the door open slowly. Her element of surprise was nearly ruined because pf the loud creak that the door made. "Of course" Tigress thought irritably._

_She resumed cradling the baby and padded softly across the gleaming surface of the floor when suddenly Shifu landed in front of her, "I heard you open the door, what do you want?" he said aggressively. Tigress slowly removed her hood._

_"T-Tigress" Shifu murmured stunned, his eyes traveled down to the bundle she was carrying. "W-what is that?" he asked._

_Tigress smiled "Master you've seen a bundle on your very doorstep before you must know what this is". Shifu gasped as Tigress handed the baby to him._

_Shifu looked at the bundle then back at Tigress, "Why? How?" he asked._

_Tigress lost her smile "I'm sorry Master but it is imperative that I speak to Po before explaining any of this to you", Shifu nodded "I understand but Tigress". Tigress didn't like Shifu's concerned expression, she knelt down urgently "What is it? Has something happened to him?"._

_Shifu became stoic "I'm afraid that's for you to find out, what do you intend to do?"_

_She considered for a moment "I will wait for a day before confronting him, just so she gets used to the palace", Shifu frowned "She?"_

_Tigress chuckled "The baby", Shifu chuckled as well "Where will you stay?"_

_Tigress shook her head, "To be honest I hadn't thought about it"._

_Shifu handed her back the baby "You can have my bed I will sleep on the floor", Tigress gasped "No I refuse you need it more then I do"._

_Shifu sighed "One night will not do me any harm besides you and your child need it" he smiled when he said child._

_The Next Day_

_Tigress spent the whole day with her baby in Shifu's room in the palace. She tried to make at little noise as she could just in case Zeng or one of the masters just happened to walk by._

_Eventually it got around the time that everyone would finish training, Tigress waited until Shifu came back to his room. He arrived with a worried look on his face "Whatever you're going to do Tigress I would hurry from what I saw of the masters Po was in a particularly foul mood". _

_Tigress nodded solemnly, she and Shifu waited until nightfall. Tigress explained what she was going to do tomorrow and where she needed Shifu to be. _

_When it was nightfall, Tigress quickly made her way out of the palace and sprinted on all fours to the barracks._

_When she arrived she was panting heavily, "I've really got to start training again" she thought. She walked around the outside of the barracks until she reached the window where Po's room was situated._

_She heard him lay down and waited until she heard the confirmation of his loud snoring, "Some things never change" she thought whilst shaking her head._

_She opened the window carefully and climbed in, she watched his sleeping form with regret. He was frowning and moving about a lot, he was clearly having a nightmare. Tigress decided to change her plan slightly, she laid next to Po and hugged him tightly. Soon enough he calmed down and started to sleep peacefully, Tigress fell asleep as well due to the relaxing feel of Po's heartbeat against hers._

When she had finished Po gasped, "I'm so sorry Tigress I..I didn't realize".

She put a finger over his lips, "It's okay Po but know that I'll always love you and only you, that's why I have one more surprise".

xxxxx

They walked back into the hall hand in hand, Po had the biggest grin on his face. "I'm gonna be a daddy WOO HOO!" he jumped around like a giddy child.

Tigress chuckled at his excitement, to be honest she had never felt so excited about anything before but the thought of having a family with Po made her heart skip a beat.

Shifu sighed with relief that they were hand in hand though he did notice Po had a mark on his head from where Tigress had hit him.

Po rushed over to the cradle and gently picked up the baby, he held her against his chest and began to rock her softly.

"Who's daddy's little girl? You are aren't you" he said quietly to himself. Everyone's hearts warmed at the sight of a father and daughter's first contact. Mantis couldn't resist ruining it though, he looked at Tigress "Hey Tigress" he said quietly.

She didn't take her eyes off of Po "Yes?".

"You've gotten fat", Tigress blushed and stomped over to him. "Sorry what was that Bug? I couldn't hear you from all the way over there".

Mantis chuckled "Nothing I'm just glad you're back" the others all murmured in agreement.

Tigress sighed and walked over to Po, "So what do you want to call her?" she asked.

Po stopped rocking and looked at Tigress with a raised eyebrow "You haven't named her?".

She shook her head in reply "I couldn't possibly do it without her father there".

Po beamed and thought for a while, he took in her jade eyes which she had got from him and her fur and looks which she had gotten from Tigress.

"Liánhuā" he said with a soft smile.

Shifu smirked "The Lotus Flower, may she indeed have good fortune".

Shifu looked towards the five "Come let us leave the parents with Liánhuā". Inside Shifu was like a child _"I can't believe I'm a grandpa, I'll tell stories and - what's happening to me?"_.

Tigress, Po and Liánhuā spent the rest of the day as family. And it couldn't of been any more perfect.


End file.
